Skirt-holder.



No. 866,669. Y PATENTED SEPT. 24, 1907. F. H. NEWTON.

SKIRT HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, 1907.

W/TNESSES INVENTOH FflZ/ZZHJVwZaw W I 7 BY A TTOHNEYS.

ms uomzrs PETERS co., WASHINGTON. n. c.

FRANK H. NEWTON, OF GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA.

SKIRT-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented Sept. 24, 1907.

Application filed January 30,1907. Serial N0x 354,860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. NEWTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Grcenville, in the county of Greenville and State of South Carolina, have invented a new and Improved Skirt-Holder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to skirt holders such as are worn by women for supporting the lower part of the skirt.

The object of the invention is to produce a device of this class which may be readily applied and which will perform its purpose effectively without detracting from the neat appearance of the skirt.

The invention contemplates the employment of a cord or chain, the body of which is normally wound upon a reel within the case which is pinned upon the skirt at the upper portion thereof, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide improved means for clamping this cord or chain to limit the same against further extension. I j

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set iorth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters oi reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective showing how the device is applied in practice; Fig. 2 is a vertical central section through the case of the device and showing a portion of the pendent chain broken away; this view is taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3 and upon an enlarged scale.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents the case of the device, which is of circular form presenting the appearance of a round flat box. Within this case a central stud 2 is provided upon which there is rotatably mounted a disk 3, the said disk .being provided with a rim 4 having a flange 5 lying opposite to the outer edge of the disk so as to form a channel adapted to receive a chain 6 which is wrapped thereabout, as shown. The inner extremity of the said chain is secured in a recess or pocket 7 formed in the wall of the rim 4, as indicated in Fig. 2. Between the rim 4 and the stud 2 a spiral spring 8 is placed, the inner extremity of which is rigidly attached to the stud, while the outer extremity is attached at 9 to the inner face of the rim.

On the lower side the case 1 is providedwith an opening 10 through which the chain passes outwardly so as to form a pendant 11. This pendant terminates in a snap hook 12 to which is attached a clamp or clasp 13. This clasp 13 comprises a cross head 14, to the ends of which clamping fingers 15 are pivotally attached. The lower extremities of these fingers are curved inwardly to form jaws 16 which abut against each other, as indicated; the said jaws being held normally in contact with each other by a helical spring 17 which connects the fingers below the cross head 14, as shown. The fingers 15 extend above the pivot points thereof so as to form handles 18 which are adapted to be pressed between the fingers so as to make the clasp release the cloth of the skirt. In this connection it should be understood that the skirt is adapted to be applied between the jaws 16 in the manner indicated in Fig. 1.

On the inner side the case 1 is provided with a pin 19, or similar means for attaching the same to the skirt, as will be readily understood from the illustration of Fig. 1. In the outer wall of the case beyond the reel, a sleeve 20 is placed, the inner extremity of the said sleeve being formed with a substantially conical counterbore 21. Through this sleeve extends the shank 22 of an eye-bolt 23. The inner extremity of this belt is formed into anangular eye 24 which lies in substantial alinement with the opening 10 aforesaid. The outer extremity of the shank 22 projects beyond the case, and is threaded, as shown, so as to receive a thumb-nut 25. Beyond the thumb-nut an ordinary nut 26 is screwed upon the end of the eye-bolt. The chain 6 passes through the eye 24, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, before it passes through the opening 10.

In using the device, it should be understood that the spring 8 tends constantly to wind up the slack of the chain into the case. The pendant 11 will be ex tended to the length desired, and the clasp 13 is ap plied to the skirt as indicated, whereupon, by tightening the nut 25, the chain can be clamped by means of the eye-bolt, against the end of the sleeve 20. In this connection it should be understood that the inner edge of the sleeve at the conical bore bites against the side of the chain, as indicated in Fig. 3. In this way the device may be quickly applied or released when desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a case having an opening in the wall thereof, means for attaching said case to a skirt, a reel rotatably mounted in said case, a cord or chain wrapped upon said reel and passing through said opening, an eyebo1t mounted in said case adjacent to said opening and through which said cord or chain passes, and means for advancing said eye-bolt laterally with respect to said opening to clamp said cord or chain against being extended.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a case having an openingin the wall thereof, a reel rotatably mounted in said case, a chain or cord Wrapped upon said reel and passing through said opening, means tending to rotate said reel to wrap said cord or chain thereupon, a sleeve mounted in said case adjacent to said opening, an eye-bolt mounted in said sleeve and having an eye through which the chain passes, and means for advancing said we bolt to clamp said chain or cord against the end of said sleeve, said case having means for attaching the same to a skirt.

:1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a case having an opening in the side wall thereof, means for attaching said case to a skirt, a reel rotatably mounted within said case, a cord or chain Wrapped upon said reel and passing through said opening, a sleeve mounted in said case adjacent to said opening and having a eounterbore at the inner end thereof opposite to said opening, an eyeholt mounted in said sleeve and having an eye disposed at said eounterbore and through which said chain or cord passes before passing through said opening, said eye-bolt FRANK H. NEWTON.

Witnesses 1 SoLoN C. KmioN, lnnnY B. TURPIN. 

